Young people / schools and colleges

Teaching children about the natural world should be seen as one of the most important events in their lives. – Thomas Berry

Children are born with a sense of wonder and an affinity for Nature. Properly cultivated, these values can mature into ecological literacy, and eventually into sustainable patterns of living. – Zenobia Barlow

We welcome active involvement with schools in the area. Common Ground aims to help create a better world for future generations; it is essential that we include young people because they are that future. We are developing relationships with established agencies to complement the activities that are already in place.

Common Ground is a place to see sustainability modelled in building design, to see energy conservation in practice – solar and heat exchange, to see alternative methods of water and waste management. There will be biodiversity and rewilding projects to get involved in. There will be a river ecology monitoring project, which is also ideal for biology students. The expressive arts programme will feature workshops that will be suitable for English classes at GCSE or A level. We see potential for young people to be involved in both the horticulture/gardening project and the eco-education programme.